Forteo and Sleep Disturbances - Osteoporosis Message Board

Piano0105 · 11-19-2005, 10:12 AM

Has anyone here had difficulty sleeping while on Forteo? I tried it a few months ago, but it kept waking me up in the middle of the night. I was unable to get back to sleep. After 3 separate trials I discontinued but would like to try it again.

CrohnieToo · 11-19-2005, 11:21 AM

My sleep wasn't exactly worth beans when I started Forteo so I certainly cannot begin to say one way or the other whether Forteo has disturbed my sleep pattern or not. If it has disturbed my sleep it hasn't been enough to differentiate from my usual sleep problem.

I no longer count how many times I wake up and trot off to the bathroom as sleep disturbances AS LONG AS I CAN GO BACK TO SLEEP. Often just taking a regular Tylenol will get me to sleep or back to sleep. I used to use Tylenol PM to get to sleep but I've "graduated" to Ambien. I don't take it regularly but have used it to help me get back on a better sleep pattern or just now and then when sleep loss gets out of hand.

Many's the time I've been physically exhausted and ready for sleep, including eyes that won't focus or stay open - BUT - the mind won't relax, shut down and turn off. It just keeps whirring away. That's when an Ambien comes in handy. I've been on Forteo for almost 4 months now.

taape · 11-19-2005, 07:14 PM

Piano0105,
Tell us what made you think that the Forteo was disturbing your sleep? Did you have a hard time falling asleep, staying asleep, or was it giving you headaches or bone pain?

I haven't noticed any difference in my sleep. There's some good nights and some bad primarily caused from disc related back pain.

Did you try using the Forteo in the mornings. According to the literature the medication at least the majority of each injection passes through your system after 4 hours.

Piano0105 · 11-21-2005, 01:17 PM

Taape,

I tried doing the injections in the morning as well as in the evening. It didn't make a difference. I was able to fall asleep okay, however, every single night around 2-3 a.m. I would wake up and couldn't go back to sleep. I called the Forteo hotline and was told that insomnia had occurred in some people in the clinical trials. I have a friend who also experienced difficulty sleeping with Forteo. She even increased her sleep meds, but it didn't do any good.

I hesitate to use sleep meds since, in the past, I've become very dependent on them. I generally sleep okay without them. I can't see beoming dependent on one medication just so I can take another.

CrohnieToo · 11-21-2005, 07:11 PM

Ha! I just asked my doctor about Ambien CR since I've got a coupon for 7 free ones to try. Hey, free is free when you're using regular Ambien on occasion anyway. (Don't you just love those commercials: Ask your doctor if ...... is for you??)

Anyway, instead of giving the script for the 7 free Ambien CR he handed me some samples for Lunesta. Now, I've seen the Lunesta commercials on TV and have thought how tastefully they are done and how attractive they are as compared to most TV commercials. Sure enough just two nights ago I felt I needed a little something to help me get to sleep and I popped one of the Lunesta samples. WORKED GREAT! I slept 7 hours! I only get 4 hours sleep from Ambien. HOWEVER, the next morning I had THE most foul taste in my mouth and I could NOT get rid of it until late morning, almost noon, despite brushing my teeth and tongue three times and gargling mouthwash three times. YECH!! As it turns out, two other people I've talked to said they encountered a foul taste in their mouth the next morning as well. Not when you take it, but rather not until the next morning. So much for Lunesta. I'll have to be pretty desperate to take a second sample of it. Now - I should clarify several others have been very happy with it and have NOT experienced that foul taste in their mouth the next morning.

Just thought I would forewarn those of you considering asking their doc for a script sleep aid. Ask for a couple of samples first before spending your hard earned money on a co-pay or the price of a script forof Lunesta.

Ooops. Forgot to mention. I picked up a Lunesta brochure which I just read tonight. It comes in 1 mg, 2 mg and 3 mg sizes. The samples are 3 mg size.